Watch movement automatic rewinding assembly with rotating mass

ABSTRACT

An automatic rewinding device with a rotating mass for use in watch movement, wherein the pinion of the rewinding mass meshes with a setting-wheel mounted on a lever capable of moving in such manner as to cause the setting-wheel to mesh with or free the first wheel-and-pinion of the rewinding gear-train depending on the direction of rotation of the mass, this first setting-wheel being subjected to the action of a pawl, and including a single spring acting on the lever and on the pawl and a movable energizing component which may move from a release position to an engaging position in which latter it will keep the spring energized, the energizing component being movable from outside the movement following the latter&#39;&#39;s assembly.

United States Patent 1191 [22] Filed:

Zaugg et al.

[541 WATCH MOVEMENT AUTOMATIC REWINDING' ASSEMBLY WITH ROTATING MASS 75 Inventors: Roland Zaugg; Josef Fliic k, both of Grenchen, Switzerland [73] Assignee: A. Schild S.A., Grenchen,

Switzerland Sept. 5, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 394,527

301 Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 14. 1972 Switzerland 13487/72 June 15, 1973 Switzerland 8738/73 [52] U.S. Cl 58/82 A [51] I Int. Cl. G04b 5/02 [581- Field'of Search 58/82 R, 82 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,789,413 4 357 'c cneiin six/32A 451 May 21,1974

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 287,929 l2/l952 Switzerland 58/82 A Primary Examiner-George H. Miller,'Jr.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Stevens, Davis, Miller &

Mosher [5 7] ABSTRACT An automatic rewinding device with a rotating mass for use in watch movement, wherein the pinion of the rewinding mass meshes with a-setting-wheel mounted on a lever capable of moving in such manner as to cause the setting-wheel to mesh with or free the first wheel-and-pinion of the rewinding gear-train depending on the direction of rotation of the mass, this first setting-wheel being subjected to the action of a pawl,

and including a single spring acting on the lever and on the pawl and a movable energizing component which may move from a release position to an engaging position in which latter it will keep the spring energized, the energizing component being movable from outside'the movement following the latters assembly.

16 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMYZHW 3.811.267

SHEET 1 BF 4 I FIG/I FIG.2

PAT-ENTEB MAY 21 IBM SHEET 2 BF 4 FIG.

this difficulty. 1

The present inventionis directed to an automatic rewinding device with a rotating mass for use in a watch movement, the pinion of the rewinding massmeshing with a setting wheel mounted on a lever which may move so as to make the setting wheel engage or release th'efrrst wheel-and-pinion of-the windingtrain depending on the sense of rotation'of the mass, this first wheeland-pinion being subjected to the action of a pawl.

Devicesof this-kind are already known. They provide the advantages of simple construction with respect to devices equipped with reversers allowing utilization of all the motions of the rewinding mass.'The use of these simplifieddevices utilizing only one rewinding direction has drawn renewed interest since studies showed their efficiency was practically the same or even superior to that of the devices acting in both directions and As regards the devices with a single rewinding direction and comprising a lever-and pawl, these organs are actuated by springs; the assembly .of which presents a number of difficulties. First, the pawl acts on'a wheeland-pinion ofthe rewinding train which pivots between the base plate and the upper bridge of the device. Further, the pawl and the lever are generally provided with two pivots that must penetrate bearings which are rigidly mounted in these two frame elements. Now the pawl and lever winding springs must be emplaced prior to fastening the upper bridge and the bottom plate to eachother. These organs being subjected to the actions of theirsprings before their two pivots penetrate the respective bearings, that pivot temporarily supporting alone the spring-action runs the risk of being damaged.

aperture within which extends a staff 2 made up of a turned part comprising a base 3 and a shaft 4.'Base 3 is held underneath bottom plate 1 by two screws 5 so that the shaft 4 is located at the center of plate 1 and in an opening of the latter. Shaft 4 is meant to receive a bush6 solidly connected to a pinion 7 and force-fitted to the hub 8 of a rewinding mass 9. Mass 9 and pinion 7 therefore constitute a single organ pivoting on shaft .4. The rotational motion of pinion 7 therefore is transmitted by a setting-wheel 10 to a first wheel-and-pinion ll of the automatic rewinding train. First wheel-andpinion ll actuates a second wheel-and-pinion 12, which in turn meshes with a third wheel-and-pinion 13, the pinion of which meshes with a ratchet 14. Except for pinion 7 and setting-wheel 10, all the wheel-andpinions pivot between the bottom plate 1 and an upper bridge which rests on elevated parts of bottom plate 1 by meansof screws 16 and guiding or positioning feet 17.

As regards setting-wheel 10, it is fixed to one of the ends of a lever 19 by means of a fiat-headed journal 18. This lever in turn is provided in the vicinity of its other end with two pivots penetrating into bearings rigidly connected with bottom plate 1- and bridge 15. As

shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, lever-l9 is arc-shaped and its pivoting point isso located that the teeth of setting wheel it) constantly engage those of pinion 7. When Therefore assembly of those devices requires great care. v

The purpose of 'the' present invention is to create a device of the kind mentionedwhich will be free from To that end, the device of the invention is characterized by comprisinga single spring acting on the lever and on the pawl and an energizing element which may be movedv from a releasing position toone of engagement; in the latter position, the energizing element will keep the spring inthe energized state, the energizing element lending itself to being actuated from outside the movement'after the latter has been assembled.

I Theattachedv drawing illustratively shows two .em bodiments of the device of the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the first embodiment, the rewinding mass and the upper bridge having been removed;

FIG, 2 is asection along line slightly large'rscale;

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 1, showing the upper bridge inplace; 1

FIG. 4' is a top viewof the second embodiment, the

n u of FIG. 1, at

.upperbridge being partly removed and sectioned and grooves,'of which'the details are not all required in this discussion, and is meant to be fastened to the back of a watch movement. it is provided at its'center with an the lever pivots, setting wheel 10 moves tangentially with respect to pinion 7. Obviously the motions of lever 19 are of slight amplitude. They aresolely meant. to bring the teeth of setting wheel 10 into mesh with the wheel-and-pinion 11 or to release them from it.

This latter wheeland-pinion furthermore is subjected to the action of a pawl 20 which also rotates between bottom plate-l and bridge 15, and which stretches at the level of thewheel of the wheel-and-pinion 11. As particularly shown in FIG. 1, the arm of lever 19 is doubly bent approximately at mid-length so that its free end carrying setting-wheel 10 is located at the levelof the inner'side of bottom plate 1, whereas its other end, which stretches beyond the pivots, is located between this bottom plate and the upper bridge at the same level as pawl 20. A leaf or strip-spring 21 stretching in straight line from pawl 20 to the vicinity of the rear end of lever 19 is fastened to the pawl 20. This strip therefore extends intoa groove and to the edge of bottom plate 1, and an elevated part 22 holding a bolt 23 ex-- tends. between this groove and the edge of the bottom plate. The bolt consists of a plate cut into an S-shape, of which one end enlarges so as to constitute a base 24 which may be secured in a shallow housing fashioned in the elevated part 22 of bottom plate 1, whereas the other end-may move because of elastic bending of the bolt. One of the loops of the S of bolt 23 extends into a second shallow recess of part 22. For the case shown in FIG. 1 this loop projects beyond the contour of bottom plate 1. The bolt is provided at its free end with,

' on one hand, a catch 25 projecting downwardly and on the other a triangular enlargementv 26. it will-be seen that the bolt end extends approximately in a radial direction, in direction of the axis of shaft 4 to a distance from the latter slightly greater than the radius of pinion 7. Catch 25 hooksa first notch 27 fashioned in bottom plate 1 so as to retain the bolt in the free position. Notch 27 is near a second notch 28, which blocks the catch 25 into a locking position. Lastly, it will also be observed that there is a catch-29 blanked together with bolt 23 at mid-length and folded downwardly therefrom. Bolt 23 extends above lever 19 and strip-spring 21 so that the downward folded catch 29 will be at the same height as the strip-spring. 1

In order toassemble the device, all the parts shown in FIG. 1 may be put together between bottom plate 1 and upper'bridge 15. During assembly, the loop of bolt 23 projects beyond plate 1 and both lever 19 and pawl 20 are free to pivot, so that setting-wheel 10 may mesh with or release wheel-and-pinion 11 depending on the slight oscillatory motion the lever may carry out. Once upper bridge 15 has been fastened to the bottom plate, rewinding mass 9which is rigidly connectedto pinion 7may be placed on shaft 4 by means of a central opening 30 in upper bridge 15. This mass cannot rotate because the end of its peripheral sector stretching around the circumference of plate 1 is locked by the projection part of bolt 23. Upper bridge 15 is provided with a second opening 31' immediately located above the latter part of bolt 23 and in the vicinity of foot 26. A conical point may therefore be put through this opening that will'act. on bolt :23 by releasing its catch 25 fromthe recess 27. The spring relaxes, catch 25 penetrates hollow 28 and triangular enlargement 26 passes between pinion 7 and bar 9, thereby ensuring .the locking of the rewinding mass with respect'to the axial direction and freeing mass 9. Catch 25 ensures keeping the bolt in its locking position. Simultaneously catch 29 will move and contact the central part of the strip-spring 21. The latter thereforeis made to bend. By this action, the beak of pawl 20 is rotated into engagement with the gear of the wheel-and-pinion 11, the other end of spring 21 presses against the end of lever 19 to keep the setting-wheel l meshed in the same teeth of wheel-and-pinion ll. Catch 29 therefore is an energizingelement for spring 21. When brought into the activation position by means of bolt displacement,

as described above, it will keep this spring in the energized state. The de'vice then is readyto operate. When the mass rotates in the clockwise. sense, as shown in H0. 3, wheel-and-pinion 1 1 is locked by pawl 20 and the lever 19 moves in such a manner as to release setting-wheel from engagement with wheel-and-pinion 11; when the mass 9 rotates in the opposite direction, all of the rewinding train is made to rotate by wheel and-pinion l0.'The activations from spring 21-.on the pivots of lever 19 and onthose of pawl 20 and of wheeland-pinion 11 occur only after the upper bridge has been fastened to the bottom plate, so that damage to these pivots at thetime of assembly. is prevented.

The device shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is designed for small caliber's, especially for such as will be housed in lady-watch cases. It comprises a lower bridge 41 covering-almost the entire rear side of the movement and an upper bridge 42 of which the contour is shaped as Wheel-andpinion 41 except for two hollows 43 and 44 which will be. described further below. Bridge 42 is provided with various hollows on its inner side which are meant to house the various movable elements inside the device ensuring the rewinding operations. These wheel-and-pinions comprise the three wheels 45, 46 and 47 of the reducing train of the rewinding device.

Wheel-and-pinion 45 is the energizing wheel; wheeland-pinion 46 effects reduction, its-wheel meshing with the pinionof wheel-and-pinion 45; wheel-and-pinion 47 drives a ratchet-wheel, of which the wheel meshes with the pinion of wheel-and-pinion 46.

It will be noted that the wheel of wheel-and-pinion 47 stretches below the path of the rewinding mass beyond the boundaries of the block consisting of the rewinding wheel-and-pinions and their frame components. Lever 48 and pawl 49 also are assembled to pivot between the frame components 41 and 42. They are provided with staffs of which the ends pivot in bearings which may be of metal or jewels and force-fitted into circular openings fashioned in the slim parts of bridges 41 and 42. A bolt 50 is located in a radial and straight groove in the inner side of upper bridge 42, which slides towards the center and, as described further below, will fasten the rewinding mass (now shown in FIG. 4).

The staff 52 of the oscillating mass is solidly connected to a base 52a fastened to the inside of bridge 42 by a screw 53. Base 52a is triangular in shape and provided with two positioning elements 52b penetrating the corresponding hollows of bridge 41. It is further provided with a rim 52c at the inner edge of the central opening 54 of bridge 41 and keeps the latter against bridge 42. Therefore, when assembling, emplacing base 52a and fastening it by means of screw 53 result in the assembly of the various components of the automatic rewinding device so that the latter thereafter assumes the function of an assembly unit. Generally the central opening 54 will be circular, but it is provided with a hollow 55 at one point of its periphery. The center of the device holds staff 52 upon which is placed pinion 56 (FIG. 5) which is solidly connected to rewinding mass 57. The latter comprises a heavy metal crown sector 58 rotating about bridges 41 and 42 in conventional fashion. FIG. 4 shows that bolt 50 is housed in a groove in the thickness of bridge 52 and is guided between the bottom of this groove and the inner side of bridge 41 so as to move in an essentially radial direction between the flanks of that groove. It is provided with a bent part 50a in the vicinity of its inner end so it may retain the set comprising pinion 56 and mass 57 by engaging its bent part between these two components. The end portion of elastic arm 50b of bolt 50 penetrates one or the other of hollows 67 and 59 fashioned in the thickness of bridge 42 and in this manner locks the bolt in one of the two possible positions;-a release position shown in the drawing and a penetration position wherein the end of arm 50b rests againstthe flank of hollow 59 and the bent part 50a locks mass 57 with respect to the axial sense.

The functions of the two components 48 and 49 are assumed by one strip-spring 61. The latter acts on the pawl and on the lever. it is fastened by its left end to that part of lever 48 extending beyond is axis of rotation and'stretches towards-pawl 49. The latter comprises three arms extending in the same plane perpendicular to its axis of rotation and may rotate in such manner as to be in two different positions: an activation position, shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4 and a release position, provided for assembly. Within the two mentioned positions, arm 62 of pawl 49 extends in hollow 43 of bridge 42. This arm is manually accessible and allows moving the pawl from one position to the other. Arm 63 is the one filling the role of the pawl proper. lts angularly cut end functions in concert with the wheel of wheel-and-pinion 45 when the latter is in the position shown in dashed lines. This arm 63 also is provided with a stop 64 pressing against the flank of a hollow fashioned in the thickness of bridge 42 and coinciding with the edge of a control opening entirely crossing the tive position when the pawl set is in the release position shown in solid lines. When pawl 49 rotates in the counter-clockwise sense shown in FIG. 4, in order to achieve an actuation position, the end of arm 65 will touch the end of strip spring 61, arid once in the activation position, so activates the pawl that stop 64 presses against the hollow of the bridge and the tip of arm 63 engages the teeth of wheel 45. Simultaneously, because of theenergization of spring 61, lever 48 is actuated into counter-clockwise rotation and theteeth of setting-wheel 60 engage those of wheel 45, whereas the end of the setting-wheel shaft presses against one of the flanks of hollow 55.

- In this position, which is the normal one for operation, the pinion 56 rotations are transmitted to the geartrain when in the counterclock sense. On the other hand, when pinion 56 rotates clockwise, wheel-and pinion 45 is locked by the pawl and setting-wheel 60 is released from wheel-and-pinion 45 on account of the rotation of lever 48 against the spring 61 action.

7 When there is manual rewinding, wheel-and-pinion 45 is driven into rotation so that pawl 49 oscillates very rapidly, .the end of arm 65 raising the end of spring 61. There is a danger that this pivoting motion of pawl 49 could become of such amplitude that the end of arm 65 would cease being actuated-by spring 61, which would lead to releasing the pawl. Such excessive motion is avoided by the end of arm 48a of the lever'48. This end acts as a brake on arm 63 whenits displacement amplitude becomes too large. The elastic arm 48a therefore ensures that the device will be kept inthe engaging position. It is elastically repelled leftwards when arm 63 is passing through at the time of energization of spring 61.

The position shown in solid lines is that of the device's release. This position is made use of during assembly. It will be seen that no part will be elastically actuated, so that all parts of the device called upon to pivot between bridges 41 and 42 may be placed into their bearings without undue difficulties. Once the automatic device hasbeen assembled as previously described, it will be mountedon the gear-train bridge by means of the screws 51 which cross the two bridges 41 and 42 andby means of the guiding feet 66 fastened to the gear-train bridge. These feet guide bridges 41 and 42. Y

After the-automatic device has been fastened tQ-the gear-train bridge, mass (57,58) together with its pinion 56 is put into place. This'component then is locked by sliding bolt 50, of which the end of arm 50b passes from notch 67 into notch'59QThen it will be enough to make pawl 49 pivot about its axis by maneuvering arm 62 in hollow 43 in order for the pawl proper and the leverto be in operation positionand subjected to the action of spring 61.

Therefore arm 63 constitutes an energizing'element which may be placedin an activating position wherein it maintains spring 61 energized.

Another advantage of the described device consists in the feasibility of relaxing the motor-spring, if so desired, without thereby being forced to disassemble the automatic rewinding mechanism, it sufficing if pawl 49 is brought back into the rewinding position by means of arm 62. g I n It will furthermore be observedthat bolt 50 fills a safety role in that when in the release position in which the end of its arm 50b is being kept in hollow 58, the.

outer end of the bolt will be located in the path described by the rim of sector 57.Therefore, the mass may not freely rotate as long as it has failed to be bolted.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic rewinding assembly for watch movements, comprising: a rotatable rewinding mass mounted in said assembly; a rewinding gear train; a pawl'movably mounted for engagement with one gear I of said gear train; a lever mounted for pivotal movement in said assembly; a setting wheel mounted on said lever for movement therewith, said setting wheel engaging said rewinding mass; a spring mounted for engagement with said lever and said pawl; and a movable energizing member accessible from outside said assembly and having a release position and an energizing position, wherein in said energizing position, said energizing member urges said spring into engagement with said lever and pawl such that said pawl is urged into contact with said one gear of said gear train and said lever is pivoted to urge said setting wheel into engagement with said gear train.

2..Appara tus as defined in claim 1, wherein the energizing member is a catch solidly connected to a bolt which may be brought into locking position following assembly of the component parts of said rewinding assembly and which locks the mass with respect to movement in the axial direction.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said spring is an elastic blade or leaf fastened at one of its ends to the pawl and acting at its other end on the lever.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the bolt is housed in a groove in a bottom plate of the assembly and is mounted for movement parallel to the plane of said bottom plate, said bolt having an end-part'capable of passing betweenthe bar of the rewinding mass and the teeth of said gear when the bolt is brought into the locking position.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the bolt mass and wherein said free end is provided with a lateral projection capable of entering one or another of two hollows in the bottom plate in order to fix-the release and energizing positions of the bolt.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, further comprising an upper bridge covering the bolt and provided with an aperture allowing engaging the pinion of the rewinding mass inside the assembly, this upper bridge being provided with hole for access to the bolt in order to allow positioning it for locking.

8..Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the bolt is so made that it projects beyond the contour of the bottom plate when in the release position.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the spring is a leaf or blade fastened at one of its ends to the lever and said energizing member comprises an energizing arm solidly connected to the. pawl and passing '12. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the lever is provided with an elastic arm entering the path of one of the pawl arms, said elastic arm constituting a brake for the pawl during the rotation towardsthe release position.

l3.'Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the rewinding mass is kept ,in place by a movable bolt accessible from'outside the movement and independent of said spring. I

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the bolt is slidable in a groove made in a component of the frame of the assembly and is elastically locked in two different positions of which one corresponds to the axial locking of the rewinding mass and the other to the blocking of the rotation of this mass.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the setting-wheel is provided with a projecting shaft component entering a hollow in an element of the frame of the assembly, the flanks of said hollow limiting the possible displacements of the lever.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said hollow is made in the rim of a circular aperture in said frame element, this aperture being coaxial with the assembly to allow placing the rewinding mass on a fixed pivot such that the pinion of said rewinding mass is located at the height of said one gear. 

1. An automatic rewinding assembly for watch movements, comprising: a rotatable rewinding mass mounted in said assembly; a rewinding gear train; a pawl movably mounted for engagement with one gear of said gear train; a lever mounted for pivotal movement in said assembly; a setting wheel mounted on said lever for movement therewith, said setting wheel engaging said rewinding mass; a spring mounted for engagement with said lever and said pawl; and a movable energizing member accessible from outside said assembly and having a release position and an energizing position, wherein in said energizing position, said energizing member urges said spring into engagement with said lever and pawl such that said pawl is urged into contact with said one gear of said gear train and said lever is pivoted to urge said setting wheel into engagement with said gear train.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the energizing member is a catch solidly connected to A bolt which may be brought into locking position following assembly of the component parts of said rewinding assembly and which locks the mass with respect to movement in the axial direction.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said spring is an elastic blade or leaf fastened at one of its ends to the pawl and acting at its other end on the lever.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the bolt is housed in a groove in a bottom plate of the assembly and is mounted for movement parallel to the plane of said bottom plate, said bolt having an end-part capable of passing between the bar of the rewinding mass and the teeth of said gear when the bolt is brought into the locking position.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the bolt comprises an arm which is fastened at one of its ends to a bottom plate of the assembly, the other end of said arm being movable due to the elastic deformation of the bolt to ensure maintaining the rewinding mass in the axial direction.
 6. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein the bolt is blanked in the shape of an S so that its free end may move radially with respect to the axis of the rewinding mass and wherein said free end is provided with a lateral projection capable of entering one or another of two hollows in the bottom plate in order to fix the release and energizing positions of the bolt.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, further comprising an upper bridge covering the bolt and provided with an aperture allowing engaging the pinion of the rewinding mass inside the assembly, this upper bridge being provided with hole for access to the bolt in order to allow positioning it for locking.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the bolt is so made that it projects beyond the contour of the bottom plate when in the release position.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the spring is a leaf or blade fastened at one of its ends to the lever and said energizing member comprises an energizing arm solidly connected to the pawl and passing underneath the other end of said blade or leaf when the pawl rotates into the energizing position.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the pawl comprises a control arm accessible from outside the movement.
 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the pawl comprises a locking arm functioning in concert with said one gear of the train and provided with a stop ensuring the energizing position by pressing against a projection in a component of the frame of the device.
 12. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the lever is provided with an elastic arm entering the path of one of the pawl arms, said elastic arm constituting a brake for the pawl during the rotation towards the release position.
 13. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the rewinding mass is kept in place by a movable bolt accessible from outside the movement and independent of said spring.
 14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the bolt is slidable in a groove made in a component of the frame of the assembly and is elastically locked in two different positions of which one corresponds to the axial locking of the rewinding mass and the other to the blocking of the rotation of this mass.
 15. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the setting-wheel is provided with a projecting shaft component entering a hollow in an element of the frame of the assembly, the flanks of said hollow limiting the possible displacements of the lever.
 16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said hollow is made in the rim of a circular aperture in said frame element, this aperture being coaxial with the assembly to allow placing the rewinding mass on a fixed pivot such that the pinion of said rewinding mass is located at the height of said one gear. 